Great Asus Transformer Book TX300

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Introduction

Few makers have actually purchased into the hybrid model as greatly as Asus, and the Taiwanese company has actually been blurring the lines between laptop and given that the initial Asus Transformer back in 2010.

While the initial Asus Transformer was an Android tablet with a detachable keyboard dock, the array has actually expanded with the arrival of Windows 8 to consist of the Asus Transformer Book.

We very first saw the variety back at IFA 2012, and it’s taken this long to see complete products attacking the shelves. The Transformer Book TX300 is a ‘hero item’ for Asus, meanings that it’s unlikely to be extensively sold, but is a showcase of the best design and efficiency.

The TX300 is encased in brushed aluminium, offering it a quality sleek finish, enabling it to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the MacBook Air in the appearances department.

However, it’s a concealed technique up its sleeve. The screen unclips from the keyboard base to turn this 13-inch laptop computer into a 13-inch tablet, for playing video games, surfing the web or seeing motion pictures.

To the untrained eye, the Asus Transformer Book TX300 is the spitting picture of the 13.3 ” Asus Zenbook UX31A Ultrabook, which is due to the fact that it’s essentially the latter cut in half.

It’s a new take on the hybrid form-factor, which has actually become the Holy Grail for makers of Windows 8 devices.

The TX300’s peers are almost too many to point out: the Sony VAIO Duo 12, Dell XPS 12, Asus’s own Taichi, Microsoft Surface area Pro as well as Lenovo Yoga 13 all aim to fix the exact same problem of bridging the laptop and tablet divide, yet, aside from the Yoga, this Transformer Book is among the couple of to remain rooted to the conventional laptop form.

It’s a wise move from Asus, and one we totally endorse. The problem with the majority of its rivals is that the keyboard docks are horrifically cramped, suffer inadequate efficiency and end up being more pricey than laptop equivalents. It makes the proposition a difficult sell to customers when an iPad can be picked up for ₤ 399, and a cramped unusable keyboard bought for a portion additional.

With the Transformer Book TX300 you get an effective laptop, rocking a top-of-the-range processor which doubles as a tablet. The only issue, is that this tablet occurs to be 13-inches, weighs 900g and costs over ₤ 1,000.

But is it worth your cash? Read on to discover.

Specifications

As we discussed, the processor at the heart of this hybrid is a top-of-the-range Intel Core processor, however, the issue is that it’s from the last generation’s line-up.

The chip in is an Ivy Bridge Intel Core i7 3517U 3rd Generation model. The 4th Generation, nicknamed Clover Trail, which came out earlier this year, boasts much better speeds and dramatically enhanced battery life.

There’s 4GB of RAM, which is bog-standard for an Ultrabook, and all you require for a snappy system in Windows 8.

Sticking with the theme of a typical Ultrabook experience, there’s no devoted graphics card, which will disappoint lots of people who’re prepared to pay in extra of ₤ 1,500 for a laptop.

All pixel-pushing is delegated the Intel HD 4000 chip, which can handle motion picture playback and video games from the Windows Store, but not a lot else.

However, that’s where the resemblances with its peers end, and the rest of this unusual changing laptop enjoys a rather storming set of specifications.

The very first is the screen, a gorgeous-looking full HD 1,920 x 1080 panel.

It’s not just the super-sharp resolution that makes the Transformer’s screen unique, it’s the deep colors and super saturation. The exaggerated deep colors make the screen instantly delightful, whether it’s scrolling through the Windows 8 beginning screen or seeing a film on YouTube.

The just downside to the high-resolution panel is that every on-screen item is tiny. We really discovered it hard to check out text in areas when sitting a comfortable distance from the screen, and it also makes browsing the back-end of Windows 8 with your finger even tougher than normal.

Turning the resolution down did help a little, but the pixelation was so bad that we rapidly reversed to 1080p.

Opting for the transformer design enables a host of advantages that other laptops cannot enjoy, such as a 2nd battery and two hard drives. The TX300 boasts from two batteries, one in the screen and the 2nd in the base device. They incorporate to make a 5000mAh cell that’s larger than most Ultrabooks.

The Asus Transformer Book TX300 dual-wields a 500GB HDD and a 128GB SSD, providing users the best of both worlds.

One of the issues with hybrids is that cannot2 limited to around 128GB of internal storage, and oftentimes formatting takes that to just 70GB of usable area. There’s no such problem right here and you get 500GB of file storage to fill out with media and files, with a quick 128GB to keep applications snappy.

There are a few concerns with this bundle, and connectivity is one of them. There’s no HDMI, with DisplayPort liked instead, which is unpleasant for those who’re utilized to the industry-standard connection.

There are two USB 3.0 ports on the keyboard itself, however, crucially, none on the screen, which somewhat undermines its usefulness as a standalone device.

This goes back to our point that the TX300 is quite a laptop device, with its tablet transformation better matched to periodic sofa browsing and media.

There’s Ethernet supplied which benefits serial desk-hoppers, and there’s likewise an SD card slot too, however once more, these are on the keyboard dock as opposed to the screen. That panel does delight in a micro HDMI slot, in addition to a 3.5 mm headphone jack.

The 2nd considerable trouble with the Transformer TX300 is weight. Having actually been spoiled with a host of Windows 8 laptops, Ultrabooks and tablets that weigh around 1KG, such as the exceptional Sony VAIO Pro 13, we were shocked to uncover the Transformer’s integrated weight of 2KG. It’s by no means unportable and it’s quite slim and light, but it’s noticeable as compared to the current crop of sleek brand-new laptops.

Having spoken with Asus about this, the company was quick to mention the extras that are consisted of in the package.

Yes, there’s the double battery, the aluminium framework and the full-sized keyboard, which, by the way, is superb to use. However, do you get anything the Sony VAIO Pro 13 does not provide, at double the weight? Just the tablet functionality, which cannot0 appeal to everyone.

But how does it perform? And can this laptop work as a tablet? Continue reading to discover.

Performance

OpenGl: 15.01fps

CPU: 2.38

Ice: 29,117

Cloud: 2832

Fire: 421

Battery: 306 mins

With an Intel Core i7 inside, performance ought to be good even if it’s in 2012’s design. The 3rd Generation chip scored well in our benchmark tests, showing that raw power is not an issue right here.

Credit should go to Asus, as in every department the Asus edged in 2013’s equivalent hitters such as the HP Envy Spectre XT.

However, in real life testing, things were not so outstanding. There was the typical sleepiness found in Windows 8 which is annoying at the very best of times, and we did experience several hangs.

We were routinely made to wait while apps opened, though this has been a problem of Windows in basic, which we are hoping will be straightened out in the forthcoming Windows 8.1 update.

Booting from cold was speedy, thanks to that SSD drive, and Windows was usable in just a couple of seconds, nevertheless, when Windows packed we were presented with what appeared to be a semi-loaded Windows desktop.

The system was completely responsive and a touch of the Windows vital fired the Beginning Screen into life, but it’s simply one example of a buggy experience throughout Microsoft’s most current OS.

Detaching the screen from the keyboard was easy and rapid, with the tablet promptly usable.

Although, reattaching indicated the system hung for about five seconds prior to the trackpad and keyboard were functional once again. It’s not a problem, however it’s not totally seamless.

We became quite keen on the Transformer TX300 as a tablet throughout our time, and it’s definitely freshening to be able to detach the screen to play games more conveniently, and it seems like a reasonable use.

We ‘d much rather have the extra power and roomy design of this laptop device than have a tablet that’s simpler to hold, yet totally useless when it pertains to composing e-mails or doing real work.

Let us not forget, nevertheless, that any 13-inch tablet is ungainly, specifically when it weighs just shy of 950g like the TX300.

Anyone who’s used to an iPad or Nexus 7 will be stunned by the TX300’s outrageous size, and you might need to deal with your arm muscles to carry the Transformer Book with the exact same flippancy as the previously mentioned tablets.

The dual-batteries do pay off to make a good performance, however we are uncertain all-day use is in the TX300’s sights. Our benchmark ratings revealed around five hours of use, which we ‘d approximately around 6 with careful management.

The powerful processor and big, brilliant, full HD screen combine to sap power, and the dual cells prevent a miserable performance.

Graphically, the 3D Mark benchmarks, and the OpenGL test in Cinebench show a laptop that’s no slouch in the video gaming department.

There’s sufficient grunt right here for standard gaming, and we ‘d even suggest that titles like Sim City might be played if cannot2 willing to take the graphics down a little.

We played HD films without any difficulty, and video games from the Windows Store played efficiently.

Verdict

The Asus Transformer Book TX300 is a sturdy machine with bags of power and a distinct twist. It’s among our favorite hybrid gadgets, since use is not really hobbled by the impossible dream of fulfilling both laptop and tablet uses.

As a laptop, it’s one of the most easy to use gadgets we have seen. The keyboard is superb, the trackpad and its array of gestures is built for Windows 8 and uses the OS a dream.

We have not enjoyed this level of comfort on a hybrid before, and the neat removal system that turns laptop into tablet does not blot the copybook either. It shows Asus’ years of experience in making Transformer gadgets, and this is a biscuit.

It’s not a blemishless efficiency though, and we ‘d like to see 500g slashed off the total weight to obtain really excited. And a portion off the rate cannot1 go amiss either.

It’s a serious expense for quite a cumbersome laptop, however last-gen processor aside, you get a lot for your cash.

We liked

The screen is wonderful, as is the general develop quality discovered throughout this aluminium-clad laptop computer. Quality oozes from every panel, and while it’s in no way lightweight, the TX300 is thin enough to slip into a bag, although you’ll feel it as you stroll around.

The keyboard is a major triumph here and we were able to kind conveniently and properly for long periods, meanings the TX300 could easily be your family’s major device. There’s certainly enough power for that, and even if it’s last generation, the Core i7 chip isn’t to be sniffed at.

We disliked

The days of laptop computers that weigh 2KG are behind us, and the TX300’s weight is a frustrating aspect of its performance.

Of course, we have ranked some heavier devices greater – the apparent being the Apple MacBook Pro – however without devoted graphics the Asus Transformer TX300 doesn’t rather carry out in the Mac’s league.

The niggling problems and hangs were likewise a bugbear which we wish can be dealt with via the maturation of Windows 8.

It’s unreasonable to blame Asus, and it should be a consideration that Windows 8 is still far from ideal. If cannot2 sold on a Windows device, we ‘d still advise the Asus Transformer Book, but in a toss-up in between Mac and COMPUTER, these problems make the decision less specific.

Final verdict

The Asus Transformer Book TX300 is an excellent laptop computer, with a terrific trick up its sleeve. While it’s unlikely to provide the iPad a run for its money as a tablet, it’s still an useful device with real-world advantages, and, most significantly, this does not hinder exactly what’s a great Ultrabook.

If cannot2 searching for a great hybrid but do not want to quit the comfort of a laptop computer, we could’ve simply found a compromise that works.